Lanterns’ premiere ending delivered a shocking death that could leave viewers questioning the series’ biggest creative decision. However, creator Damon Lindelof is not hesitant to defend the controversial decision and promises it will make sense by the eighth episode.
Lanterns follows Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they investigate a mystery murder on Earth, uncovering a wider conspiracy. The latest DCU show is set within two timelines: one is 2016, and the other is the present day. The latter timeline is picking up heat from fans as it showcased the death of the beloved character.
Creator Damon Lindelof said he and Tom King initially turned down the idea, believing it felt gimmicky and fans would hate them for such a drastic change. However, Chris Mundy convinced them by saying the approach eventually felt necessary for the grounded story they wanted to show. Lindelof expressed confidence in their long-term vision despite early pushback.
“Our feeling is, ‘Let’s see how you feel at the end of episode 8,’ “Mundy said. “And if you still feel like it was exploitative or unnecessary,” then the team would accept that criticism. He added, “But I think we’re willing to absorb the boos from the audience in the first inning as long as we still have a shot at winning the game.”
What was the death at the end of the first episode of Lanterns so shocking?
The first episode of Lanterns concluded with the unexpected death of legendary Green Lantern Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler. In the present-day timeline, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) returns to Rushville, Nebraska, and reunites with Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) at the football field. The duo then walks up the snow-covered bleachers, where they find Hal’s frozen body with a bullet through his head.
Moreover, Hal’s power ring is missing there, and that leaves many questions unanswered about who killed him and why. All we can do is wait and see how the story unfolds in the coming episodes.
It is important to note that Hal is not disappearing from the show, as he still remains a major part of the previous 2016 timeline. However, Hal’s death disappointed fans who had waited more than a decade to see the character return to live-action following Ryan Reynolds’ 2011 Green Lantern movie.
The next episode of Lanterns will arrive this Sunday, August 23. With seven more episodes left, the creative trio has plenty of room to justify Hal’s death before the finale on October 4, 2026.
